Bright Future?

                As I read, I keep asking myself: Is our nation so bought into racism and class discrimination that it is willing to disregard an entire portion of our youth? The part that saddens me the most is that the answer to that question is yes. The children that grow up in neighborhoods are generally African American and Latino. Youth that grow up in cities like East St. Louis, and North Lawndale are trapped with these restrictions and realistically have no choice but to gradually lose hope. These kids’ passions and aspirations are lost to poverty due to the fact that their society has written them off. “The ones who move on to Advanced Home EC are given job instruction.”  “When I ask her what jobs they are trained for, she says: “Fast food places- Burger King, McDonalds.” (Kozol 27).  This is the future that the children of East St. Louis get to look forward to? It’s like hope is cut from their dictionary at birth. Too make it worse, if an African American tries to attend a “white school” they are called names and set apart from the rest of the school. By doing this, your consistently giving them a system to fail.  

Was the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

Blake DiSanto  

Ms. Williams

English 1A

3 Septemeber 2013

 Was the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

                In the “Passion Project”, a recurring theme seems to imbue in my head. As a young child, you’re told to follow your dreams, and to continue to do what you love. The question that I, and I know many of my classmates pose is this, why does your dream seem to be lost as soon as you become an adult?  Our society as a whole has bought into this idea that the only way to be successful is to play it safe, get your four-year degree and get a job. The next question I pose is without risk, where is the reward? I understand the idea of playing it safe, but in order to make that next leap, some kind of risk needs to take place. Personally, I believe that not taking risks have a lot to do with the loss of passion. If the students aren’t encouraged to take risks, then their dreams are lost and with their dreams goes there passion. With that being said, the classroom is a two-way street. Teachers and students alike must learn to step out of their comfort zones. Teachers need to be trusted, and in order for that to happen, risks need to be taken. Risks require everyone to go out of their comfort zones. “Three concepts that make teachers around the world cringe. Creativity and innovation… risk taking – these were all neglected. Without passion, education cannot be an innovative industry.”(Carey 2013). How can a teacher relate to a student without knowing their passions? We as students are the future and you as teachers are the innovators that instill passion and risk taking. Between the students are teachers, there needs to be some equilibrium. Passion for passion. Risk for risk. Both parties need to be present and willing to open up. Only then will you truly get the best experience for you, the teacher and for the class. Last question that I hope everyone asks themselves once this class has come to a close. Was the juice worth the squeeze?

I have never made blogs before, but from the start I can already tell that it will quite enjoyable. So far, this blog reflects who I am because its everything that I love. It describes who I am and what I do. 
There are many things I care about, but the thing that I would absolutely do anything for is my family; my father, mother, and three sisters. They truly define who I am and have certainly molded me into the man I am today. On top of that, I have a certain respect for women that many men don't have. 
I am a very passionate person and my greatest passion is golf. I am going to become a professional golfer. That might seem cocky or egotistical to you, but for people who don't know who I am, passion runs through me and drives me to be better everyday. I love golf enough to strive to be perfect, practicing  hour after hour until of my hands hurt. That's passion....
I'm in school right now to become better. You can never be too smart, too good at something. Hard work always pays off. The more time you spend in the classroom, the smarter you will become. Soon after that, jobs will come. But it all starts with yourself and wanting to be better. Whether its school, athletics, or painting, you should always strive for better.
Through this class, I hope to become a better writer, as well as making new friends. Writing is crucial to succeeding in life and its always nice to meet friends on the way :)
I mentioned before that family is very important to me. They are the ones that push me everyday and want whats best for me. They expect so much from me, but whats the problem with setting the bar high? If they know I can do it, then I can do it. 






Blake DiSanto